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Duck Soup (1933 film)
Directed By:
Leo McCarey
Produced By:
Herman J. Manklewicz (uncredited)
Written By/Screenplay:
Bert Kalmar
Harry Ruby
Arthur Sheekman
Nat Perrin
Starring:
Groucho Marx
Harpo Marx
Chico Marx
Zeppo Marx
Margaret Dumont
Raquel Torres
Louis Calhern
Edgar Kennedy
Photography:
Black and White
Distributed By:
Paramount
Release Date:
1933
Runtime:
69 minutes
Duck Soup is a 1933 pre-Code Marx Brothers comedy film written by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, with additional dialogue by Arthur Sheekman and Nat Perrin, and directed by Leo McCarey. Released theatrically by Paramount Pictures on November 17, 1933, it starred the "Four Marx Brothers" (Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo) and also featured Margaret Dumont, Louis Calhern, Raquel Torres and Edgar Kennedy. It was the last Marx Brothers film to feature Zeppo, and the last of five Marx Brothers movies released by Paramount Pictures.
Why It Rocks
It's considered one of the Marx Brothers' best films next to A Night at the Opera. This may have something to do with the Marxes' having solidified their roles up to that point, or that fact that the new director made various changes to the Marx formula for the better as mentioned below. Including removing the irrelevant musical numbers and talk about courtship, so it was all good parts and no filler.
Following the progress that had been made from the Marx Brothers' earlier films, this film's meant to mock Hollywood's penchant for films about fictional Eastern European monarchies at the time, as well as being the Marxes' comedic take on how ridiculous war was. The film came out after World War I and centers around an unnecessary war founded on Groucho's dislike of a dignitary from the neighboring country of Sylvania, as he quickly makes a shambles of his administration, hiring his brothers as spies or cabinet officials .
Unlike many directors, McCarey was able to temper with the signature Marx mania (he removed the piano and harp interludes from their other films, romantic subplots and anything that would soften the brothers' characters), and yet still kept it pretty good. He was the only director with the confidence and experience to challenge the Marxes to edit themselves.
He found ways to inject brilliant visual humor into the Marx Brothers’ usually verbally driven antics, especially in his staging of the mirror and street vendor scenes.
When he saw that the Marxes' humor was based on hostility and they were more interested in provoking fights than winning them, he figured international politics would be a good subject for them to tackle. Their casual dismissal of diplomacy, legislation, and all the other workings of government gave them the opportunity to expose everyone -- presidents, general, philanthropists, ministers -- as petty, narrow-minded, irrational people fueled by emotions rather than patriotism. But it's all done an a humorous way with puns and pratfalls.
As usual, the Marx Brothers are hilarious and perform their parts incredibly well (except maybe Zeppo)
Special mention goes to Groucho as Rufus Firefly as he keeps up his signature use of snarky and witty one-liners
Even Margaret Dumont does a good performance.
McCarey showed little interest in some details of filmmaking, such a matching shots. The film's filled with moments when characters who should be sitting are suddenly standing, or pants that should be rolled up are rolled down. There's also the occasional lacing pace, and repeating gags. But his comic background made the film more visual than other Marx Brothers films, as shown with the iconic mirror scene where Chico and Harpo impersonate Groucho.
The mirror scene, in which Groucho and Harpo are dressed alike and match each other's actions, is one of the great comedy sequences in American movies. It is 100 percent visual, presented without any sound whatsoever—a rarity for a Marx Brothers gag.
Harpo and Chico's routines with Edgar Kennedy during the lemonade stand scene where pretty unique among the Marx style of comedy, or 1930s comedy in general.
Bad Qualities
Zeppo being played as the straight man may not be very appealing to modern audiences. That's probably why he dropped out of his comedian career after this film.
Trentino's accomplice, Vera Marcal sort of disappears from the film without explanation, after she sneaks Chicolini and Pinky into Mrs. Teasdale's manor.
Various inconsistencies within certain scenes, but as previously stated, this was mostly intentional.
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